Claims
- 1. A thermally responsive switch comprising:
- a) a receptacle formed of a metallic material and having an elongated dome-shaped portion and an opening opposite to the dome-shaped portion;
- b) a header plate formed of a metallic material and secured to the one end of the receptacle so as to hermetically close the opening thereof afterwards, the header plate having an aperture formed therethrough in a suitable portion thereof;
- c) a thermally responsive element disposed in the receptacle and supported at one of two ends thereof on a portion of the receptacle, the thermally responsive element carrying at the other end a movable contact secured thereto, the thermally responsive element being formed of a thermally deformable material and having a generally shallow dish shaped portion reversing and restoring its curvature with a snap action in response to different temperature values;
- d) a terminal secured in the aperture of the header plate by an electrically insulating material filled between the peripheral wall surface of the aperture and the outer periphery of the terminal so that the terminal extends through the aperture;
- e) a fixed contact support disposed in the receptacle so as to be generally perpendicular to the terminal and having an end to which a fixed contact is secured so as to cooperate with the movable contact;
- f) an easily meltable material connecting the other end of the fixed contact support to an end of the terminal projected to the interior of the receptacle so that the other end of the fixed contact support is secured to the end of the terminal; and
- g) urging means provided in the receptacle for urging the fixed contact support so that the fixed contact support is disconnected from the terminal upon lowering of a securing force of the easily meltable material.
- 2. A thermally responsive switch according to claim 1, wherein the urging means comprises a metallic spring disposed between the header plate and the fixed contact support together with an electrical insulator.
- 3. A thermally responsive switch according to claim 1, wherein the urging means comprises a spring formed of an electrically insulating material and disposed between the header plate and the fixed contact support.
- 4. A thermally responsive switch according to claim 1, wherein the urging means comprises a spring formed of a shape memory material.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
3-96376 |
Apr 1991 |
JPX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/863,678, filed Apr. 1, 1992 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
863678 |
Apr 1992 |
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